Violence is showing up everywhere in the media these days. Whether your child is exposed to it in video games, music videos, cartoons, news or commercials, it is being exposed earlier and earlier in age. Talking to your child about this violence will help them be able to manage the impact it has on your kids. Common Sense Media provides the following conversation starters to help you with having these conversations in your family:

Help your kids express their feelings: creating and safe and non judgmental space to explore their feelings after seeing the violence helps them with their emotional maturity.

Help your kids tap into their feelings of empathy: The more media violence they are exposed to, the more it appears normal to them and can desensitize the way they see pain taking place in others.

Remind your kids that violence is not a joke: Most violence takes place for laughs, but when people are hurt through violence, it is no longer a joke.

Teach positive conflict resolution: Explain your values to violent behavior and what the consequences are in your home.

Explain consequences: Discuss the consequences for violence and how unrealistic it is for people to get away with violent behavior in the world today.